The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1887-05-20

ROAD WORK.

Constant agitation in the Press has
done some good so far as roadwork is
concerned. Progress is being made on
the line of Beretania street, and although
the job is not so we'll done as it might
be, it is satisfactory to see anything in
the shape of improvement. When COM
pleted the work in hand will render
Beretania street accessible to carriages
without risk of breaking springs. 1t is
to be regretted, however, that the exca-
vators for laying the water main along
Beretania street should follow the steam
roller so closely, and that piece of road
which has been finished off by the roller
one day should be torn up two or three
days afterwards to lay pipes. This is an
evidence OF bad management some
where, but we are inclined to acquit the
Superintendent of Water Works of
blame in the matter, because that officer
has always displayed an intelligent I'M
derstanding of his business. 1t was i'm
perative that these water pipes should
be laid, and it was quite as easy for the
Road Supervisor to have started on the
Waikiki end of Beretania street as on
the EVA end. By so doing money
would have been saved and the newly
made road surface would have remained
uninjured.
Richard street has been scraped and
cleaned. 1t does not need much repair,
but the water channels require clearing
out and putting in order, especially near
the junction of King street, where the
flood water left the gutter and flowed
over the footpath.
Fort street, between Hotel street and
the wharf, is full of ruts and holes, and
unsafe to drive over, especially after
dark. Merchant street, between Fort
street and Palace square, is a disgrace
to any professedly civilized community
1t is the nearest approach to the public
offices of the Supreme Court, and should
therefore be in decent state of repair.
1t has been for several days past simply
a canal of sinking mud, offensive to
the nostrils and disgusting to the
sight. This is its normal condition
in wet weather. 1t is needless to
say that it is practically closed to pedes-
TRANS in wet weather. Material which
might have been spread upon it at little
cost beyond the labor has been carted
a long distance away from Mr. McIn-
erny's excavations to the Palama dis
trict, and we presume when the Road
Supervisor comes to put surface upon
Merchant street he will pay for ''long
haul" for the stuff to work with. This
is the kind OF economy we now have in
the streets and roads bureau.
The Waikiki road, including King
street, is in very deplora-
BILE condition. When it will be prop
erly repaired is one of those things no
fellow can find out. There is abundance |
of road metal available. The Govern |
ment has stone-breaker and tramwav, |
and it would be very easy making a |
branch track to save hauling road |
metal with horses. This would be the |
cheapest and most expeditions way;
but will it be adopted?
We have not said a word about |
Fort street above Beretania, or
Emma street although there are
many taxpayers resident on each thor |
Oughfare who must have been sorely |
puzzled, during the late rainstorm, how !
to get access to their homes. But we |
must again put in a word on behalf of |
the children attending the Royal and |
Fort-street schools, who are compelled !
to wade ankle deep in mud and slush to |
and from those institutions. If the car
riageways cannot be repaired what is to
hinder detail of prisoners to spread !
sufficient black sand upon the footpaths
to enable children to walk in comfort to
school. As it is, many of them are
compelled to sit daily in bedraggled
clothing and wet feet during school
hours, and then to take fresh mud
bath on their return to their homes.
This is surely laying the seeds of disease
and mayhap of death. We appeal to
the Board of Education in this matter,
and request its Intervention with the
Interior Department to induce a partial
recognition of its duty to children at
tending the Government schools, even
il it treats the taxpayers with indif-
ference. {